Seek and you will find
by Millie 1985
Summary: Seek and you will find is a theory Sir Leon has always believed in but he never guessed that a search for his lost prince and friend would lead him to find so much more than he was looking for. AU story that starts mid season 3 but mostly takes place 18 years in the future.
1. Chapter 1

**Seek and you will find **

**Summary:** Seek and you will find is a theory Sir Leon has always believed in but he never guessed that a search for his lost prince and friend would lead him to find so much more than he was looking for. AU story that starts mid season 3 but mostly takes place 18 years in the future.

**AN:** this was meant to be the first in a collection of AU one shots but it took on a life of its own and is now a multi chapter story which is nearly finished. I will hopefully be posting a chapter a week and I hope you enjoy it because it has been a lot of fun to write

**Chapter one**

A few uneventful months after Prince Arthur's almost wedding to Princess Elena tragedy struck Camelot when both he and the Lady Morgana's hand maiden Guinevere vanished without a trace. No one knew where they went or what happened to them, not even Arthur's trusted servant Merlin or Gwen's big brother Elyan who came home as soon as he heard she had gone missing.

For years Uther was determined to find his son and he dedicated just as much of his Knight's time to hunting for him as protecting the kingdom but after 10 years had passed he gave up hope and put an end to the searches.

If the citizens of Camelot where surprised that their King had finally given his heir up for lost they found his choice of replacement almost unbelievable. The Lady Morgana was not only named as heir to the throne of Camelot but Uther also claimed her as his illegitimate daughter.

Uther may have embraced Camelot new future but not everyone was prepared to follow his lead. Sir Leon was well known as one of the Kingdom's most dedicated Knight's but more importantly he considered Arthur to be one of his closest friends and he refused to abandon his Prince.

Leon practically begged the King to allow him to continue searching for Prince Arthur and Uther couldn't help but agree he did however have conditions. Leon could not take any other Knight's with him as Uther felt he couldn't spare them and should Camelot have a need of him the Knight and his party would have no choice but to return, no matter how close to finding the Prince they believed they were.

Leon's hunting party was made up of men he handpicked, each of them had proven their worth to him and he truly believed that in a fair Camelot they would all have been knighted for their actions.

Merlin and Elyan where the first two people to volunteer and Leon readily accepted both the servant and the blacksmith. The next to join the party where two men that could not actually set foot in Camelot, Lancelot the one time false Knight and Gwaine a talented swords man that Uther had banished months before Arthur and Gwen disappeared. The last addition was Percival a gentle giant who was a dear friend to Lancelot and an immense asset to the team.

For 8 long years Leon led his brave party on search after search, they found themselves on many adventures and often in grave danger but never saw a sign of the Prince or hand maiden that they were so desperately looking for.

Despite the differences in character and status between them the 6 men came to see each other as not just equals but brothers. Over the years they became known as the Knight's of the round table even though Leon was the only one of them with a title, the name came from the tails about the Kings of old who highlighted the equality of all by sitting at round tables.

King Uther's health began to fail and still the quest of the Knight's of the round table continued to be fruitless. More than loyalty to Arthur and worry for Gwen drove their search now, as the years had passed Morgana had allowed the mask of loving protector slip more and more until it no longer hid her true colours.

Leon knew that the King did not have long left and if they did not find the rightful heir before the worst happened then Camelot would be left in the hands of an evil witch.

It was desperation that drove the Knight's of the round table into the very heart of Cenred's Kingdom. It was said that the only man in Cenred's land that could be trusted was Lord Mark so it was his castle that the party made their way to. Lord Mark's trustworthiness was not the only reason Leon chose to ask him for his help. It was also said that Sir William the commander of Lord Mark's guards had a hunter at his disposal that could find anything that he set out to.

Journey's into Cenred's lands were almost always accompanied by run in's with bandits or Cenred's men Leon could only put it down the very best of luck that they had reached Lord Mark's castle unchallenged.

Lord Mark's castle was nowhere near as large or impressive as that of Camelot but the town that surrounded it was much bigger, it seemed to sprawl out for miles in every direction. The Knight's of the round table road though the streets with their head held high despite the fact that everyone they passed did their very best not to look at them.

Lord Mark may be a wise and trustworthy man but his lands were still part of Cenred's Kingdom so it was not surprising that his people shied away from visitors whose red cloaks and dragon crests clearly identified them as having come from Camelot. It was common knowledge that Cenred had no qualms about having his people put to death for the pettiest of crimes which included associating with citizens of Camelot.

Leon fully expected that he and his friends would reach the very gates of the castle before they encountered anyone brave enough to even look them in the eye let alone speck to them but it seemed he had underestimated the bravery that curiosity can give to the young.

The 6 travellers were shocked into stillness when a young girl who could not have been much older that ten approached them. She was a tiny little thing with golden skin, sandy curls, a bright smile and questions shining in her eyes.

"Are you really from Camelot?" she asked eagerly gazing up at them

"Yes we are" Leon told her with as warm a smile as he could muster

"My friends and I are on our way to Lord Mark's castle to ask him and Sir William for their help" he explained to her loudly enough for all those around him to hear

"Sir William is my father" Their new little friend told them

"Why do you want his help?" she asked caution entering her voice for the first time.

"That is what we would like to know as well" a new voice added before any one of them could answer the girl's question.

Two boys came striding out of the crowed to stand beside her. Both boys had darker colouring than their small female counterpart but it was more than obvious they where her older brothers.

"I'm Chadrac, oldest son of Sir William and a captain of Lord Mark's guards" the tallest of the two introduced

"This is my brother Tobias and our sister Isobel" he said indicating to his siblings.

"Now what help do you think my father can be to Knight's of Camelot?" Chadrac demanded not even attempting to be polite anymore

"Hey, there is only one Knight of Camelot here" Gwaine corrected Chadrac with a grin

"And that's him" he said pointing to Leon

"We are looking for our friend" Leon tried to explain

"And my sister" Elyan cut in

"You don't know where your sister is?" Isobel asked sympathetically

"She went missing along with their friend 18 years ago" Elyan confirmed sadly

"We are hoping that your father could help us" Leon told them

Tobias and Chadrac shared a glance, it was so fleeting that only Merlin noticed it but was most definitely there.

"Perhaps after 18 years they do not want to be found?" Tobias offered speaking for the first time

"If you're looking for someone it's not father you need, its Bronwyn" Isobel told them always eager to help anyone who needed it

"Bronwyn?" Percival asked puzzled

"Our older sister she is the best hunter in the land" Tobias explained

"Lord Mark's great hunter is a girl?" Lancelot asked obviously surprised by the news

"Yes she is" Chadrac told them not bothering to hide the pride he had in his big sister

"And here she comes" Isobel cried excitably pointing over the Knight's of Camelot's shoulder; they turned in the direction that the little girl was indicating and were genuinely surprised by what they saw.

A petite girl dressed in men's clothes was changing towards them on a hoarse that was bigger than any of theirs. It wasn't until she pulled her stallion to a halt beside them that the men noticed she was riding without reins or a saddle

"Chadrac" she gasped swinging down from her hoarse

"Cenred's men are coming from the south" she told her brother moving swiftly to his side

"How many?" Chadrac asked in a calm determined voice that seemed eerily familiar to the men from Camelot

"At least a hundred men moving fast" she told him in a similar tone

The 3 oldest siblings exchanged looks and nods obviously deciding something between themselves while Isobel clung to her sisters' leg. Finally Chadrac stepped away from the others and climbed up onto a nearby cart.

"We are about to come under attack" he announced to the surrounding people

"Gather together your families and pull back to the castle" he ordered them with an authority that belayed his years and it was no surprise that the villagers instantly began to obey him

By the time Chadrac had returned to the visitors and his siblings Bronwyn had mounted her steed once again and had Isobel sat in her lap while Tobias was seated behind Merlin. The young captain ran a quick eye over each of the remaining horses before claiming up behind Leon.

In the minds of the Knight's of the round table it went without saying that the arrival of Cenred's forces was due to their presents but as they all raced towards the castle with Chadrac and his siblings it also went without saying that that they were going to fight alongside Lord Mark and his people.

_Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think_

_Millie_


	2. Chapter 2

**Seek and you will find **

**Summary:** Seek and you will find is a theory Sir Leon has always believed in but he never guessed that a search for his lost prince and friend would lead him to find so much more than he was looking for. AU story that starts mid season 3 but mostly takes place 18 years in the future.

**Disclaimer:** Sorry I forgot this last time. I don't own most of the characters in this story I am just borrowing them for a little bit.

**AN:** Thank you for all of the feedback, I love hearing what everyone out there thinks of my stories. I hope you continue to enjoy this one.

**Chapter 2**

When the Knight's of the round table and the children of Sir William clattered into the court yard it was already a hive of activity, guards and citizens alike were all rushing to follow the instructions that where being barked out by a man dressed in full armour including helmet.

Tobias and Chadrac where both on the ground before the beasts had even come to a full stop.

Leon knew without asking that the man in the armour had to be Sir William as he was never seen by outsiders without it.

"Father" Chadrac called out confirming Leon's suspicion

"Chadrac, Tobias" Sir William greeted his sons warmly by clasped each of the boy's shoulders firmly, showing his pleasure at seeing them safe and well despite the tense situation they found themselves in.

"Father" Isobel cried practically springing from her sister's lap to reach him

"Isobel I am glad you are safe" Sir William said hugging the youngest of his daughters as best he could while wearing his armour.

"I need you to go to the infirmary, there will be casualties and your Mother will be thankful of your help" he told her sadly

"Be safe Father" was the little girl's only reply before she left to follow his orders

"Bronwyn" Sir William approached his oldest child who still sat astride her charger

"Can I convince you to aid you Mother as well?" he asked clasping one of her small hands in his larger gauntlet covered one

"The workers in the northern fields must be warned Father" she told him and it was obvious that she planned to be the one that warned them

Sir Leon decided that as much as he did not want to encroach on Sir William's moment with his daughter it was time for him to step forward

"Sir William, I fear that my friends and I are the reason that Cenred's men are here" he said sorrowfully

"I don't doubt it" Sir William agreed without looking away from his daughter

"But I also know you never meant to bring any danger here" he said throwing a glance at the Knight of Camelot as he finally relinquished hold of Bronwyn's hand

"Thank you for your understanding Sir William but we did bring this danger to your lands and we will help you to see it off" Leon told him firmly

Sir William seemed to consider the men in front of him for a moment (it was impossible to know for sure due to his helmet)

"Father we haven't much time" Bronwyn reminded him

"I must go now" she insisted before spurring her horse and racing out of the castle's rear gate.

Leon could not wait for Sir William's permission any longer he had to act now because he was not prepared to let a young woman face a danger that was of his making unprotected.

"Merlin, Gwaine go with her, provide what help you can" he ordered

His choices may have been quickly made but they where well thought out. Gwaine and Merlin had always worked well together even before the Arthur had vanished. Gwaine was a strong fighter who had an abundance of (what Merlin called) street smarts while Merlin was magic.

All of the Knight's of the round table knew Merlin's secret they had been saved by it on many occasions and in return they had helped him to keep it hidden. Leon had been the only one who was at all wary of Merlin's gift but after seeing how much good Merlin could do with it the Knight knew magic could not be purely evil as his King had insisted; now he could only hope that the talented sorcerer could use it to preserve the life of Sir William's head strong daughter.

Merlin and Gwaine where almost out of the gates when Sir William called out to them

"Remember this is not Camelot anyone who uses magic against our enemy or to protect our people here are to be thanked and protected nothing else"

Sir William's words made Merlin smile, it was always nice to know that saving someone else's life would not cost him his own.

Once the 2 departing riders where out of sight Sir William turned to the rest or the visitors from Camelot, he quickly began to ask question and give orders as if he had been doing so his whole life

"You?" he demanded pointing at the largest man in the group

"Percival Sir" said the man quickly providing his name

"Are you as strong as you look Percival?" he asked

"Yes Sir" beamed Percival with no false modesty

"Chadrac, take him and your men, guard the rear gate, it is not to be closed until every man, woman and child is safely through" William ordered the youngest Captain of his guards

"Aye Father" the boy replied leading Percival and his troops away with him

The next member of the team that Sir William turned his attention to was Elyan

"Can you use them?" he asked pointing to the Blacksmiths hammers that hung on the man's belt next to his sword

"Yes, but I fight better with the sword" Elyan told him laying his hand on the weapons hilt

"I'm sure you do but I need you more in the armoury than I do on the battle field" Sir William informed him

Elyan was not pleased with his assignment but the firm nod Leon sent his way told him that he had no choice but to agree

"Tobias" William called his younger son to him

"Yes Father"

"Take the Blacksmith to the armoury, then I want you to gather as many of the other boy's in training as you can find and withdraw to the catacombs" he ordered

"But Father-" the boy tried to protest

"No Tobias" Sir William cut him off

"There will be other battles for you to fight in, today I need you in the catacombs to protect the women and children" he told his son earnestly

"Very well Father" the boy sighed in defeat before signalling for Elyan to follow him

"Catacombs?" Lancelot questioned

"There is a maze of tunnels and small caves beneath the castle" Sir William explained

"Those who cannot fight retreat there during attacks"

"I assume that is also where your infirmary is?" Leon stated with a slight smile as it became clear to him that Sir William had managed to send at least 3 members of his family (Tobias, Isobel and his wife) to the relative safety of the catacombs

"Gentlemen would you care to join me and my guards?" Sir William asked the last two members of the Camelot party

"It would be an honour Sir William" Leon answered for both of them as Lancelot dipped into a small bow

While roles were being assigned at the castle Gwaine and Merlin had arrived in the northern fields. Bronwyn was already there and was doing her best to capture the attention of the workers but she did not seem to command authority as effortlessly as her brother so was not having much success.

"For goodness sake listen to me" she cried out loudly

Seconds later a boulder that stood not far from her exploded with so much force that both Merlin and Gwaine were thrown from their horses

"A little warning would be nice next time next time" Gwaine yelled at Merlin as he dragged himself back into the saddle

"That wasn't me" Merlin called back as he did the same thing

"Then who was it?" Gwaine asked in disbelief

"I think it was her" Merlin told him gazing at Bronwyn in wonder, Merlin was not the only one looking at her every eye in the field was now on the young woman.

"We are under attack" she announced calmly all traces of awkwardness where gone and she was completely in control just like Chadrac had been in the town

"Gather only what tools you can use to protect yourselves and retreat to the castle" she ordered them

The workers were just moving to follow Bronwyn's instructions when a large number of men broke through the tree line that bordered the far side of the field. Panic swept through the workers as they realized the journey to the castle had just become a run for their lives.

"Go, quickly" Bronwyn urged as she road though the swarm of fleeing men towards the oncoming attackers.

Merlin and Gwaine shot one another a look of resigned agreement before racing after her.

"Get everyone to safety" Merlin shouted to Bronwyn who was rounding up the stragglers

"We'll hold them off" he promised her

"How? There are only two of you"

"Don't worry about us Sweetheart" Gwaine assured her cockily

Bronwyn flashed the men a tense smile before continuing to guide the men to the safety of the castle

Merlin magically held back as many men as he could while Gwaine cut down those that managed slipped through.

"We've got to get out of here" Gwaine yelled as more and more men began to charge at them

"Hold on to something" Merlin ordered seconds before his eyes flashed a brilliant gold and a huge crevice opened between them and their enemies

They didn't even have time to enjoy their small victory before the thunder of hooves behind them had them turning to defend themselves once again.

"I thought you might need a ride" a familiar voice called out to them.

Bronwyn had recaptured the horses that both Merlin and Gwaine had been forced to abandon during their skirmish

"I through we told you to get out of here Sweetheart" Gwaine snapped pulling himself into the saddle

"I'm no good at following orders and I'm not your Sweetheart" she shot back

"We really need to go now" Merlin yelled at the two squabbling riders

Neither Bronwyn nor Gwaine where silly enough to argue with him and the three of them took off racing towards the safety of Lord Mark's castle. Merlin's magical barrier gave them a few minutes head start but it could not hold indefinitely and as soon as it broke Cenred's men were doing their best to cross the newly appeared ravine and give chase.

Reaching the castle before they where over run by Cenred's men was never going to be easy but a barrage of arrows from the pursuing men made it even more difficult.

Merlin threw invisible shields up around the three of them as best he could but they were not infallible. Bronwyn let out a yelp of surprise and pain as a stray arrow grazed her shoulder but her balance never faltered.

She dared to cast a look over her now wounded shoulder and was horrified by the number of arrow's sailing towards her. Out of pure instinct one of her hands released the main of her horse and came up to shield her face.

Merlin who was trying to watch out for the scared young woman and keep track of Gwaine felt the undeniable tingle of magic in the air before he saw its affects.

A pulse of energy seemed to emanate from Bronwyn's out stretched hand and surge across the field behind her, it not only shattered the arrows that it came into contact with but also pushed the following riders back so forcefully that some of them where unhorsed

"The sorceress, don't let her get away" one of the men (presumably some kind of leader) yelled but it was too late the gates of Lord Mark's castle where already in sight.

The gory seine that met Bronwyn told her that the fighting around the gates must have been much bloodier that the attack they had just escaped in the fields but she was glad to see Chadrac unharmed and fighting on. Gwaine and Merlin where also pleased when they spotted the easily recognisable figure of Percival among the unwounded fighting force

Cenred's men that had survived the battle at the gates began to disperse as soon as Merlin, Gwaine and Bronwyn road into view, their arrival seemed to steal most of the fight that had been left in the attacking force. The order to retreat could be heard ringing out but most of Cenred's men had already turned to run.

"Take the boy" a departing solider roared at a man mountain that was bringing up the rear

Before Bronwyn could even wonder who "the boy" was the giant had come up behind Chadrac and wrapped his arms around her brother in such a way that the sword he normally welded so skilfully was suddenly useless to him

"Chadrac" she cried as she tried to force her horse through the departing crown but she knew there was no way she would reach the man in time to stop him leaving with his prize.

Bronwyn had never found any pleasure in other people's pain before but she could not deny the joy she felt when a dagger flew through the air and lodged it's self so deeply in the enormous man's arm that he had no choice but to release Chadrac. The smirk plaster across Gwaine's face told Bronwyn exactly where the dagger had come from.

The last of Cenred's men were out of sight by the time Bronwyn finally reached her brother's side.

"Chadrac are you alright?" she asked him fearfully

"I'm fine" he said with a reassuring smile as he climbed up behind her

The siblings where the first to clatter through the gates, Merlin followed behind them leading his horse that was loaded up with wounded soldiers' and Gwaine's horse was the last in struggling beneath both his and Percival's weight. There was a momentary rush of relief as all of them made it safely into the court yard but they all knew that the worst was probably yet to come

_Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think_

_Millie_


	3. Chapter 3

**Seek and you will find **

**Summary:** Seek and you will find is a theory Sir Leon has always believed in but he never guessed that a search for his lost prince and friend would lead him to find so much more than he was looking for. AU story that starts mid season 3 but mostly takes place 18 years in the future.

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own most of the characters in this story I am just borrowing them for a little bit.

**AN: **Hay guys, I know I said I would make you wait until next weekend but I have gotten some lovely review's and PM's asking for an update sooner and as this chapter is not the longest I have ever written I thought I would give it to. So if you like this chapter you have arthurgwen2010 and larasmith to thank for it along with my very kind guest reviewer(s). Thank you again for all the feedback and I hope you enjoy your bonus chapter

**Chapter 3 **

Those that had survived the fight at the rear gate had expected to ride away from one battle and directly into another. Cenred's men had fought so hard for control of the smaller of the two gate's it stood to reason that they would be fighting just as hard if not harder for the main one but the court yard they rode into was almost eerily quiet.

Guards lined the walls with their weapons at the ready but there was no sign that any fighting had even taken place.

"Father" Chadrac called up to the armoured man who stood in the centre of the battlements

"They are retreating" he informed his Father

Sir William's face was still obscured by his helmet but the faces of those around him clearly showed confusion

"They have not yet attacked" he told his children and their companions as he descended the stairs toward them

"I assure you Father they did" Chadrac shot back

"There where soldiers swarming the rear gate and they attacked the fields as well" Bronwyn said recalling the recent events

"They were in the fields?" Chadrac asked her, it had not occurred to him that Cenred's men would have strayed that far away from the castle

"Yes, they chased us to the gate, it was obvious they didn't want us to reach it" she told him

"Actually it was you they were trying to catch Sweetheart" Gwaine reminded her off handily

"And that man at the gate tried to capture Chadrac" Merlin pointed out

"It was a trap" Bronwyn gasped

"The attack never had anything to do with the men from Camelot, they were just a good distraction from what Cenred's men really wanted" Sir William deduced

"What did they really want?" asked Lancelot who along with Leon had followed Sir William down from the battlements

"Us?" Chadrac asked Bronwyn never braking eye contact with his sister

"Us" she agreed solemnly

"What would Cenred want with your children?" Leon asked Sir William in confusion, Sir William was not even the lord of the land, what good would holding his children do Cenred

"We need to move this meeting inside" Sir William decided

"I will answer all of your questions there" he told Leon and his travelling companions as he led the way indoors

A servant was dispatched to retrieve Elyan from the armoury and the Knight's of the round table were reunited in the main hall of Lord Mark's castle, they were even joined by the man himself. Lord Mark was a broad man with a good natured smile

"So these are our visitors from Camelot" he boomed

He then proceeded to welcome them all like long lost sons.

When the introductions had been properly made Sir William explained that Cenred's attack had not been about the men from Camelot at all but his two oldest children.

"Chadrac and Bronwyn where his targets?" Lord Mark asked the commander of his guards solemnly

"Yes" the man answered shortly

"Do you understand the implications of this William?"

"Yes Mark I understand perfectly" Sir William actually snapped at his lord and master shocking the men from Camelot

They were even more shocked when Lord Mark did not reprimand Sir William for his behaviour he mealy laid a hand on the Knight's shoulder

"Whatever you feel you need to do my friend you have my support" he told Sir William kindly

Sir William seemed to take a moment to collect himself before turning to face the men assembled in front of him

"You six gentlemen are the Knight's of the round table" he said rather than asked. The six friends were not surprised that he knew who they were without being told, it happened to them often.

"You are hunting for your lost Prince" he continued

"And my sister" Elyan reminded him

"The handmaiden that disappeared the same time as he did" Sir William said confirming that he knew who Elyan was referring to

"What do you think happened to them?" Sir William asked

"We won't know until we find them" Leon told him

"You must have a theory" Sir William pressed

"Not one that they can agree on" Said Percival with a small laugh pointing at Leon and Merlin

"I'm sorry" Bronwyn interrupted speaking up for the first time since they had all come inside

"But it seems clear to me what must have happened"

"Really and what's that Sweetheart?" asked Gwaine

"They ran away together, they must have been in love and if Uther is really the man I have heard tell of then he would never allow his son to spend his life with a servant so the only why they could be together would be to run away" Bronwyn explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world

"I can't believe that is what happened" Leon told her somewhat condescendingly even though Merlin was emphatically nodding that he agreed with Bronwyn's statement

"You don't believe they were in love" Sir William asked

"I don't doubt that they were in love but Arthur would never abandon his responsibilities like that" Leon stated

"And Gwen wouldn't let him" Elyan agreed

Before any more could be said the huge doors of the hall were flung open as Tobias and Isobel came racing in. Tobias dropped a hasty bow to his Father and Lord Mark but Isobel only had eyes for her two oldest siblings.

"Which of you is hurt?" she demanded angrily matching over to them

Both Bronwyn and Chadrac tried to look innocent but there was no fooling Isobel

"Don't try to hide it from me, I felt it, one of you is hurt so which one is it?" she asked firmly

The Knights of the round table where confused until Bronwyn shrugged down the shoulder of her forest green tunic to reveal a shallow but angry looking cut beneath it

"Bronwyn what happened?" Chadrac ask softly

"It was an arrow" she told him keeping her answer as simple as possible

Before anyone could send for help Isobel reached out and covered her sisters wound with her small hand, she muttered some words that only Merlin could understand and removed her hand unveiling completely healed, unblemished skin.

The tiny girl made the act of healing her oldest sibling seem effortless but the way she was swaying back and forth proved that it really wasn't

"Bronwyn you need to take you sister to rest" Sir William told the older girl

"But Father-" both girl's protested as one, they knew that if they left now then whatever was said in the hall would remain in the hall and they would never know what was going on, it had happened many times before normally when their Father and Brothers were discussing battles

"Isobel you know that you need rest and Bronwyn am willing to bet you do too, now both of you go" Sir William ordered leaving no room for argument

The girls reluctantly left the hall but as soon as the doors closed behind them they turned to share a conspiratorial look. In that moment a decision was made by both of them without any words being spoken. They hurried to a little hidden alcove that only the two of them knew about. It was actually a secret passage way that led into the hall and it enabled them to see and hear everything that was going on inside.

Back in the Main hall Sir William was once again discussing Camelot's missing prince with the Knight's of the round table

"My daughter is a romantic at heart but that doesn't mean she is wrong" he told them

"In fact I believe she was at least partly right, your prince did run away for love but not for reasons she thinks" He continued holding up his hand to silence both Merlin and Leon's protests

"You are all in agreement that your prince and the handmaiden where in love, what if something came of that love?" he asked them carefully

"Do you mean a child?" Elyan asked sounding aghast at what Sir William was suggesting about his sister's honour

"My thoughts were more of marriage" Sir William replied in much the same tone

"But yes eventually a child" he conceded

"Arthur could not get married without me knowing it" Merlin jumped in

"I'm sure as a prince he would know how to keep his privet matters privet even from his servant" Sir William commented

"If Arthur a Gwen where married then wouldn't a child be a blessing?" asked Lancelot asked not understanding why everyone seemed so unhappy at the idea of Gwen bearing her husband's baby

"Not if she couldn't tell anyone she was married" Said Merlin not wanting to think about what would have happened to his dear friend if the people of Camelot believed her to be an unmarried mother

"And if Uther ever found out that a servant was carrying the future heir of Camelot she wouldn't have lived long enough to give birth" Leon admitted bitterly

"Do you really think Arthur and Gwen ran to keep their child safe?" asked Percival completely shocked by this newest theory

"It makes a lot of sense" said Gwaine who had no problem believing that Arthur would have given up everything for the safety of his child

"This is all crazy" Elyan angrily interrupted his friends musing,

"We don't even know that there was a child" he reminded them

"And even if there was they could have returned when it was too old for Uther to deny or harm it but they didn't and if a child dose exists then it's got to be 16 at least so why have Arthur and Gwen not come back?" he demanded to know not liking the idea that his sister had a child that she didn't think he should know about let alone meet.

Elyan's outburst was followed by silence as everyone waited for Sir William to retract his speculation but he made no move to do so and no one noticed how uncomfortable Chadrac and Tobias where suddenly looking

"17" When Sir William finally did speak again it was not to apologise for his accusations it was to correct Elyan

"My oldest daughter is 17" he said as he unclasped and removed his helmet to reveal an older but still familiar face. The man before them was none other than the man they had spent long years serching for, Arthur Pendragon.

_Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think_

_Millie_


	4. Chapter 4

**Seek and you will find **

**Summary:** Seek and you will find is a theory Sir Leon has always believed in but he never guessed that a search for his lost prince and friend would lead him to find so much more than he was looking for. AU story that starts mid season 3 but mostly takes place 18 years in the future.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own most of the characters in this story I am just borrowing them for a little bit.

**AN:** Hello everyone, thank you all so much for all of the amazing feedback it really means a lot to me. An extra big thank you has to go to Dannyblue who gave me some really useful formatting advice, so thank you all I hope you enjoy the chapter.

**Chapter 4**

The Knight's of the round table could do nothing but stair in wonder, they had finally found the missing prince of Camelot when they least expected it

The thought that Sir William could actually be Prince Arthur had genuinely never crossed their minds but here he was standing before them.

They had heard tails about the great Sir William for years and had been very impressed by them but it seemed that everyone they spoke to agreed that William had been born and raised in Cenred's Kingdom, it had never accrued to them that there might be more to he meets the eye.

Merlin in particular was kicking himself because it was all so obvious now. Of cause Arthur wouldn't do something as stupid as hide under his own name and if any name held enough meaning to him to replace the name his mother had given him then it would be William, he was after all the man that Gwen had first fallen in love with

The years that had passed could clearly be seen upon the Arthur's face but the placement of the lines and creases spoke of years of joy not hardship.

"Arthur" Merlin was the first to react by calling his forma masters name and throwing his arms around him.

The other men waited for Arthur to shrug his gangly friend off and make some kind of scathing comment but he didn't instead he returned the embrace before quickly pulling away to ruffle Merlin's hair painfully with his fist.

"Hay" Merlin complained rubbing his head tenderly "Remind me why I spent all these year's looking for you, you royal prat" he teased his friend

The familiar banter between Arthur and Merlin seemed to snap the others out of their stupor

"Sire" Leon almost breathed a sigh of relief as he sank down onto one knee before him.

Lancelot, Percival and Elyan quickly followed Leon's example and after a moment of hesitation so did a somewhat reluctant Gwaine

Arthur couldn't help the smile that spread across his face, all these years he had convinced himself he was happy to live the rest of his life as Sir William and he didn't want to be found but looking at the men kneeling in front of him he found that he was incredibly proud that they had spent so long searching for him so diligently. He only wished he wasn't about to tell them that all of their efforts had been in vain

"You can all get up" he told them warmly "I'm not a prince anymore and I won't be going back to Camelot" he said trying to break the news quickly and get it over with. Shock seemed to hang thick in the air as Arthur's statement sunk in "We had always planned to return one day but now we know that can never happen" he told them all with a sad smile

Percival surprised everyone by being the first one to recapture his wits and rise to his feet

"Because of Isobel's magic? Is that why you haven't gone back?" he asked gently

"And Bronwyn's" Merlin quickly added before Arthur had a chance to answer

"Not originally" Arthur said with a sigh "The children's ages were what stopped us at first. Bronwyn was only just one when Chadrac was born, then two years later Tobias came along. They are sixteen and fourteen now nearly full grown men." Arthur paused his explanation for a moment to send each of the boys a smile full of warmth and pride "When Bronwyn was six and her ability's came to light, Guinevere and I realized we could never go back to Camelot. We accepted it and moved on then eleven years ago we were blessed with Isobel" As Arthur finished summarising his family he looked happier than any of the men from Camelot had ever seen him.

Being a Father suited him and he obviously loved his children very much. In that moment they all wanted to just walk away and leave him to live in peace with his beloved family but they knew they couldn't they owed the people of Camelot more than that

"But Sire-" Leon protested getting to his feet

"I'm not your Sire anymore Leon" Arthur cut the older man off

"Arthur you don't understand how much your people need you" Merlin tried to explain

"My family needs me more Merlin" Arthur said softly fighting to stay calm "I can't take them back there it's not safe, my daughters don't even know about my past and they never can" Arthur told the men assembled in the hall firmly

"If you go back or not is up to you Princess" Gwaine said coolly employing his favourite nickname for Arthur "But those girl's deserve to know the truth about who you and they are" he told him

"That is what I have been telling him for the last ten years" came a warm voice "But why should he listed to me I'm only his wife" the owner of the voice stepped out of the shadowy doorway

The years had been just as kind to Gwen as they had her husband. Despite all the time that passed she was still as beautiful to the Knights of the round table as she had been the first time they had laid eyes on her whether it was the day she was born, on their first day in Camelot or at some point in between.

"Gwen!" the men cried in joy, all formality was forgotten as Elyan, Leon, Merlin and Gwaine tore across the hall towards her

Elyan was the first to reach his sister he picked her up off the ground and spun her wildly about; she was then passed from man to man receiving a tight embrace from each of them until she reached Merlin who almost dropped her.

For a few minutes the hall rang with the laughter of old friends that were delighted to see one another again and new friends being made as Percival and Gwen where introduced for the first time

"If you are all done man handling my wife" Arthur interrupted the joyful reunion/meeting with a rueful smile

Gwen hurried away from her friends and straight into her husband's arms

"I'm glad you're safe" she whispered pressing a kiss to his lips "But Gwaine is right" she said more loudly as she moved to hug each of her sons "Bronwyn and Isobel have as much right to know the truth as the boys do" she told him as she took her place between her sons who even though that were only in their teens both towered over her

"Guinevere we have been over this many times before if I had my way the boys wouldn't even know, it would be safer for everyone that way" Arthur sounded truly frustrated and Tobias looked decidedly sheepish for a moment telling everyone present that it was somehow down to him that he and his brother knew the truth while their sisters were still in the dark

"They need to know, it's not fair that they don't" Tobias spoke up "They don't even know your real name Father" the youngest of Arthur's sons pressed attempting to keep his tone respectful and calm "They truly believe they are the daughters Sir William commander of Lord Mark guards not Prince Arthur of Camelot and I do not like lying to them, it's not right"

"You aren't lying to them, your protecting them, we all are" Arthur insisted "Can you imagine what it would do to them to discover that their own grandfather would rather see them dead than alive just because of their magic?"

Arthur had decided long ago that none of his children should be burdened with the knowledge that they were the grandchildren of Uther Pendragon. Gwen never liked the idea but she had grudgingly agreed because she knew how important Arthur felt it was to protect their children from the shadow that knowing about Uther would cast over them

For years he and Gwen had managed to keep their secret but when Tobias heard the story of Camelot's missing prince from a travelling minstrel three year ago it didn't take him long to see the truth and it took even less time for him to share it with his brother.

The boy's had desperately wanted to tell their sisters but thankfully Arthur had overheard the two of them talking about his true identity before that had gotten the chance. It took a lot of time and effort but he finally convinced them that protecting the girl's from their newly enquired knowledge was the best thing to do.

Arthur knew that he would never be able to talk his sons into hiding the truth forever and even if he could Gwen would not hold her silence for that long.

He knew they would have to tell the girl's sooner or later he just always hoped that it would be much, much later but recently the boys had been pushing him more and more to break the news to their sisters and it seemed the arrival of his friends had given them the chance they had been waiting for.

That didn't mean that he was prepared to stop trying to protect his daughters, he still strongly believed that they would be happier living without the fear of Uther hanging over their heads

"It would be best if they never knew" he stated firmly

"I'm sorry father but I agree with Tobias" Chadrac stated quietly "You should tell them, if they find out on their own they will not be as forgiving as Tobias and I where"

"Your son's are very wise young men" Lancelot broke into the families' conversation "Perhaps you should listen to them" he added

"If your daughters tempers are anything like yours you had better listen to them before they find out on their own" Merlin chuckled

"I think it's a bit late for that" Bronwyn's voice rang out clearly echoing around the room but no one could see where it was coming from.

Suddenly a tapestry on the far wall swung sideways to reveal a shocked and tearful Isobel and holding her hand was a furious looking Bronwyn, They had obviously heard everything.

"Is there something you wish to tell us father" Bronwyn asked fixing her father with the look she normally used to make her brothers cower

_Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think_

_Millie_


	5. Chapter 5

**Seek and you will find **

**Summary:** Seek and you will find is a theory Sir Leon has always believed in but he never guessed that a search for his lost prince and friend would lead him to find so much more than he was looking for. AU story that starts mid season 3 but mostly takes place 18 years in the future.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own most of the characters in this story I am just borrowing them for a little bit.

**AN: **Hey Guys, I am trying to stick to one chapter per weekend but at one point this chapter and the previous one were in fact a single chapter. I had to split them because together they were just too long. So I am posting them on the same weekend, next week I will go back to just posting one chapter honest.

**Chapter 5**

Bronwyn had never been as mad at anyone before as she was at her family in that moment, she was physically shaking with anger. How could her father, mother and brothers have kept such big a secret from her and Isobel.

"Bronwyn" her mother called gently as she quickly crossed the distance between the two of them "Your father can explain everything to you Bronwyn but you need to calm down" she told her daughter firmly

There was a slight undertone of fear to her mother's soft words that Bronwyn really couldn't understand until she cast a glance around the hall. Windows where rattling in there frames and every piece of wood in the room was groaning in protest as her anger seemed to permeate the air around them.

Bronwyn took a shuddering breath and dropped her little sister's hand as if it burned her, closing her eyes she tried to focus on reining in her emotions. Visions of the forests that she spent so much of her time in filled her mind and bought with them a familiar feeling of peace, slowly her anger began to subside to a manageable level.

Gwen watched with pride as her oldest daughter fought for control over both her emotions and her magic. After a few tense moments everything around them returned to normal and she knew Bronwyn had won her battle. With a sigh of relief Gwen wrapped her arms around the shaken girl "Well done my darling" she wisped sincerely

Bronwyn could hear the pride in her mother's voice and wished that she could feel it too but she really couldn't. All she could feel was disappointment in herself that she had let her emotions take control again. "I'm sorry" she whispered brokenly not knowing what else to say

Gwen released her oldest child to reassure her that she had nothing to be sorry for but her youngest child beat her to it.

"It's alright Bronwyn" said Isobel as with tears still shining in her eyes she stepping forward to take her sister's hand once again.

Bronwyn smiled down at Isobel, the little girl was always so forgiving and understanding because she truly believed that the two of them where the same but she was wrong. Bronwyn wasn't like Isobel, Isobel had her magic down pat she knew what her magic was for and how to use it. She knew all of this and she was only eleven while Bronwyn hated her magic it was destructive and she had little if any control over it. She really couldn't help but envy her little sister sometimes.

Arthur was as pleased as everyone else in the room when it stopped trying to magically tear itself apart but when both of his daughters turned to him with hurt shining brightly in their eyes he almost wished that the somewhat dangerous distraction could have lasted awhile longer.

"Father why would you lie to us?" Isobel asked sounding hopelessly lost

Hearing the tears in his little girl's voice broke Arthur's heart and for the first time he wondered if protecting them had really been the best thing to do.

"I just wanted you to always be safe and happy" he told them sincerely

"Did you really think that knowing that our father is Arthur Pendragon would stop that form happening?" Bronwyn asked crossly.

His oldest daughter now had control of her emotions but that didn't mean that she wasn't still angry at him over his deception

"I thought knowing who your grandfather is would stop that from happening" he corrected "Particularly given your gifts" he added sadly "I never mean to hurt or upset you my angels" he said using his favourite endearment for them "I only wanted to keep you safe" he promised

A slight sniff was all the warning that Arthur got before his arms were full of his youngest child. Isobel had release Bronwyn's hand and raced across the hall as fast as her short little legs would carry her

"It's alright Father" she breathed softly "I understand why you didn't tell us"

Bronwyn and Arthur where both equally shocked by Isobel's actions they knew it was in her nature to forgive but she had never really faced any sort of betrayal until this day and she was handling it with far more grace and maturity that either of them were

Bronwyn knew there were really only two options open to her, she could follow Isobel's example and forgive her father immediately or she could hold onto the rage she had felt when she realized that he had been lying to her for so long and make him suffer for a while before forgiving him.

She knew the second option was a dangerous road for her, her gifts as her father called them meant that any negative emotion to the extreme could well lead to damage and destruction on a large scale. As angry as she was with her father for not telling them the truth she knew he had only done what he had thought was right and she was honestly touched by her father's slightly stupid actions. So as much as she would like to make him squirm for a bit the first option was really the only one she could chose

"I don't understand Father and I don't think I ever fully will" she told him truthfully as she closed the distance between them "But thank you for loving us enough to try and protect us" she told him pressing a kiss to his cheek "It means a lot"

Arthur knew that it would take time for Bronwyn to accept what he had done and to truly forgive him but he also knew she was actively trying not to be mad at him for it and he was grateful to her for that. He genuinely didn't think he had ever felt quite as relieved as he did when he felt both of his daughters wrap their arms around him signalling the end of their largest fight (to date) with a hug

Leon hated to interrupt such a tender moment between a Father and his daughters he really did but he had no choice, Arthur needed to understand just what he was turning his back on if he walked away from his Kingdom and his people.

"Arthur" he said marching towards his friend "Do you actually mean never to return to Camelot?" he asked incredulously

"Does that really surprise you after everything you have seen today Leon?" Arthur asked him firmly while smiling warmly at the two girls that had moved to stand with their Mother and Brother's

"No" Leon admitted, he honestly wasn't shocked that Arthur was willing to sacrifice everything to protect his family "It doesn't but your people need you" Leon tried to press the matter but Arthur wouldn't hear it

"No Leon that's enough, I don't want to hear any more" Arthur told him even more firmly than before. He was trying to walk away but Leon couldn't let him, as much as he might want too

"Your father is dying" Leon yell at the retreating mans back "And if you don't return and reclaim what is rightfully yours Morgana will become Queen of Camelot"

At Leon's exclamation Arthur froze in his tracks, his head dropped to his chest for a moment but he would not turn to face the man behind him.

"I know" he whispered sadly "I have known for some time" he admitted, news from Camelot rarely reached Cenred's Kingdom but the fact that their long standing enemy was at deaths door had made it through "but I also know Morgana can be a good Queen" he sighed resignedly

"Oh Arthur" Gwen gasped quickly leaving her children's side and hurrying over to the man she loved so dearly. She placed one hand on his shoulder in comfort while she rubbed soothing circles on his chest with the other. She hadn't known about his father's illness and it hurt her that he hadn't thought he could share the news and his pain over it with her, she suddenly realised that maybe their children were not the only people that Arthur went out of his way to protect

"Morgana will not be a good Queen, she has changed from the girl you used to know" Leon persevere despite the tender moment the couple were sharing

"How so?" Gwen asked sharply while shooting her childhood friend a look that clearly told him to tread carefully

"She is a witch" Leon said regretfully

"So are we" Isobel cut in motioning to herself and Bronwyn. She knew she should probably stay out of it but she was always eager to defend those that were not present to speak for themselves

"Trust me darling you and your sister are nothing like her" Gwaine rushed to reassure the young girl

"What makes us so different?" Bronwyn asked more to support her sister than to defend Morgana

"She's evil" Merlin told them simply. A gasp came from both Arthur and Gwen as Arthur finally turned to face them again, Merlin knew they didn't want to believe it but he would at least make them hear what he had to say "She is evil and very powerful; everyday her soul grows darker and darker. She is already persecuting your people in your father's name. I dread to think of a Camelot with her as Queen" he told them with a sad shake of his head

"That can't be true" Arthur spluttered. Morgana had always be headstrong and a little stubborn at times but not evil, never evil

"I'm sorry but it's the truth" Percival told them hoping that his word as an impartial party might help them to believe their long time friend's words

"Now you see why we have searched so long for you" Leon told the younger man "Now you understand why you must come back, your people need you" he stated firmly

"No" Arthur said simply

"No?" Leon questioned

"I said no Leon, I am not going back, I sorry for your wasted years" he told his friend as he once again turned to return to his family and leave The Knight's of the round table and his past behind him

"How can you turn your back so easily" Leon demanded he was rapidly losing all respect for the man that he had once sworn to give his life for

Arthur rounded on the Knight of Camelot with so much fury in his eye's that Leon was suddenly very glad the man did not share his daughter's abilities

"Do not make the mistake of thinking this is an easy decision for me Leon" the Prince snarled. "I would lay my life down for Camelot but I will not sacrifice my family, there is nothing in that Kingdom for my children other than fear and danger"

"If the girl's magic is the only reason you won't go back then we could protect them, no one would need to know about it until you where King and then they would be safe" Merlin offered gently tying to restore order to the hall

"You want my daughters to hide who they really are and just pretend that magic isn't part of them" Arthur asked sounding genuinely shocked

"It would be for the good of the Kingdom" Merlin said tying his best to sound persuasive

"Is that what you told yourself Merlin?" Arthur asked him humourlessly "All those times you saved my life and had to give someone else the credit or every time you had to come up with some stupid excuse or lie to explain why you were absent from you duties while you were busy saving Camelot. It was all for the good of the Kingdom"

"You- you know?" Merlin stuttered in astonishment

"Of course I know Merlin you idiot" Arthur huffed

"Arthur" Gwen warned softly, Arthur knew that tone well it was the one his wife had used on their children when they were young and being unkind to one another

"How big of a fool do you think I am?" Arthur pressed on crossly

"Arthur" Gwen warned him again much more forcefully, this was the tone she had used to break up a sword fight between Chadrac and Tobias when some friendly training got out of hand last month "Yes Merlin, we know" she told the dumfounded sorcerer gently

"How long have you known?" Merlin asked still trying to wrap his head around the fact that his big secret wasn't so secret after

"Ever since you drank poison for me and then lit my way home" Arthur said softly seeming to have overcome his earlier outburst

"You saved my father's life and then tried to give up your own to save mine too, keeping you secret was the least I could do" Gwen told him reviling her own moment of realization

"You saved us all so many times Merlin with and without magic and I am beyond grateful for all you did for us and Camelot" Arthur stated finally admitting that Merlin wasn't completely useless and giving him some long overdue thanks "but" he continued "I don't want my daughters to live your life and I don't want my sons to live mine, they deserve more than that. I'm sorry but my choice is made, it has been for many years" the prince explained firmly

The silence that filled the hall was almost defining, each of the Knights of the Round Table wanted to say something to change Arthur's mind but what could they possibly say

Everyone present was shocked when it was not one of the men from Camelot that finally spoke up but Chadrac

"Your choice may have been made Father" the young man said coolly "but mine was not"

"Nor was mine" Tobias said instantly siding with his brother

"Or ours" Bronwyn said specking for both her and Isobel as the younger girl fiercely nodded her agreement

"And what is your choice children?" Arthur asked them with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. The thigh grip that Gwen had on his hand told him that she felt it too

Chadrac shared a look with each of his siblings and much like they had in the village that morning the four of them came to an agreement without words

"We have to go to Camelot" Chadrac announced to the shocked audience "and we will go without you if we must Father" he added firmly

_AN2: I just want to say sorry for all these cliff hangers I don't intend for them to happen they just do._

_Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think_

_Millie_


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary:** Seek and you will find is a theory Sir Leon has always believed in but he never guessed that a search for his lost prince and friend would lead him to find so much more than he was looking for. AU story that starts mid season 3 but mostly takes place 18 years in the future.

**Seek and you will find **

**AN:** Sorry I vanished for so long. A few other stories where demanding to be written but now I'm back and looking forward to getting on with this one.

**Chapter**

Chadrac's ultimatum hung heavy in the air as he and his father stared each other down neither one of them wanted to be the one to break the stalemate and both of them believed that they knew what was for the best.

"Chadrac" Arthur sighed looking away from his son "You don't know what you're doing, what you're giving up, none of you do" he said looking to his other children trying desperately to make them see his point

"Yes we do Father" Chadrac insisted speaking for all of the siblings. Falling into the role of leader was natural to him because despite the fact that Bronwyn was the oldest of the children Chadrac had always been their leader. "The people of Camelot are as much our responsibility as they are yours and they need us"

"Chadrac have you thought about what you are asking your sisters to do?" Gwen asked softly. She had never really agreed with Arthur wanting to hide away and never go back to Camelot but if there was any truth to what Merlin and the others were saying about Morgana then she wanted her daughters as far away from her forma best friend as possible.

"He isn't asking us to do anything Mother, we are doing it on our own because it's the right thing to do" Isobel said innocently

"As much as I hate to admit it they are right" Bronwyn sighed. She really didn't want to leave the safety of her home but she did have to agree with her siblings going back was what they had to do; they didn't have any other choice

"Tobias?" Arthur turned to his youngest son hoping that perhaps he would see sense. He knew if Tobias refused to go the others would not go without him but he also knew the chances of Tobias going against his brother and sisters were slim.

"Your people need us Father, how can we not go to them?" Tobias answered Arthur's question with one of his own and sealed the fate of his family

Arthur heaved a heavy sigh he had always known that this day might come but he sincerely wished it had not

"It seems you win Leon, we will leave for Camelot at first light" Arthur decreed sadly

"Well" the jovial voice of Lord Mark who had stood forgotten at the side of the hall until that moment broke through the sombre mood all around him "I would say this calls for a feast" he beamed

Despite Arthur protesting that the departure of him and his family did not warrant a feast and Gwen insistence that the girls did not have any gowns appropriate for a feast Lord Mark would not be deterred.

A grand feast had been planned and prepared in an afternoon and the girls were being outfitted for it by Lord Mark's daughters. Isobel and Bronwyn had never really attended any of Lord Mark's past feasts but they were now wishing they had because they were not enjoying being forced into gowns that were now either too small or too old for their forma owners.

The Boys had had no such problems seen as they had often been to the feasts with their father and already had appropriate outfits to wear, so while the girls searched for something that was both suitable and comfortable they were left to wait impatiently for them. The Knight's of the Round Table had opted to wait with Arthur, his sons and Lord Mark instead of taking their places in the main hall.

Merlin knew that Arthur had been thought a lot over the last few hours but there was one more thing that he had to make sure Arthur understood before he returned to Camelot. He just didn't know how to brooch the subject every time he tried he would chicken out at the last minute. Finally Arthur couldn't take it any more

"Out with it Merlin" the Prince of Camelot snapped

"Out with what?" Merlin asked as innocently as he could

"Whatever it is that has you trembling like a maiden on her wedding night" Arthur sighed

"Your father didn't claim Morgana as his daughter just so she could be his heir" Merlin told him in a rush "She really is his child, she's your sister" he said gently

Arthur couldn't help but laugh "That's it, that's what you have been fidgeting about for the last hour?" He asked sounding shocked "I know she is my sister Merlin, I've known for years" he reassured his friend with a forceful slap on the back

Merlin wanted to ask Arthur how he could possibly have known but at that moment Gwen began to descend the grand staircase with Isobel by her side and they had all of Arthur's attention

Gwen was wearing a simple purple dress with full skirts, the lady's of Camelot's court would have thought it very plain but Gwen wore it with so much grace that you would have thought it was made of pure gold. Isobel's dress was a soft pink colour with overly puffy skirt's and sleeves but she looked so happy in it that she somehow kept it from looking ridiculous.

Arthur met the two of them at the bottom of the stairs with a wide smile filled with nothing but pride and love

"You look beautiful" he told his wife cupping her cheek gently

Arthur was well aware that all eyes were on him and Gwen and that he should conduct himself properly but in that moment it would have taken a dragon attack to keep him from kissing her. Gwen released Isobel's hand so that she could wrap her arms around Arthur and pull herself closer to him. They were both very much enjoying themselves until Chadrac cleared his throat as loudly as he could, the couple pulled away from one another with a self conscious laugh

If Arthur found looking at his son's after such a public display of affection unpleasant then looking at Gwen's brother and his friends was downright uncomfortable, thankfully Isobel had wonderful timing

"How do I look Father?" she asked staring up at him innocently

"You look lovely Angel" Arthur told her honestly as he hoisted her onto his hip as if she where two instead of eleven. "Are you ready for your first feast?" he asked her with a bright smile. Isobel returned his smile and nodded enthusiastically.

"Good, I'm glad" her father said and he truly was, so much was going to happen soon that she might not like and he wanted her to enjoy as many things as she could before then. "You stay with Tobias he'll take good care of you" he told the young girl as he set her back on her feet. Isobel wasted no time in racing to her brother's side.

Merlin couldn't help but smile at the sweet family moment but his smile fell away when he glanced to the top of the stairs. Bronwyn had just begun her dissent, she was wearing a rusty brown gown made of velvet that clung to her every curve, it was lovely but it wasn't her dress that took Merlin's breath away, it was the girl herself.

Bronwyn had inherited her father's fair complexion and blue eyes she was the only one of his children that had but she also had her mother's thick dark hair and sweet smile. She should have been a perfect mix of both her parents but instead she looked very much like someone else Merlin knew well.

The girl coming down the stairs towards him could have been the younger sister of Morgana Pendragon, her look was softer than and not quite as perfect as the older woman's but the likeness was there. Merlin knew he should have seen it sooner but the dirt and grime of the forest that had coated her and the boys clothing she had been wearing up until now had hidden it from him.

"Lovely isn't she?" Lord Mark commented from behind the sorcerer making him jump, before Merlin could reply the Lord gave him a smile that said he knew exactly what the man was thinking "Perhaps now you understand why your revelation about Morgana's true parentage did not surprise Arthur the way you thought it would" he said sagely

Merlin gave Lord Mark a small smile and made his way over to greet Bronwyn but Chadrac beat him to it "excuses me my lady" he greeted her "but have you seen my sister? She is a scrawny little thing that runs around in boys cloths all the time" he said shooting his sister a cheeky grin

Chadrac was proud to say that he was rarely taken unawares but he was not too proud to admit that he was genuinely shocked when his sister grasped him by his hand and with swift twist had his arm locked behind his back "scrawny little thing huh?" she teased him

"Bronwyn, let me go" Chadrac pleaded with her

"I don't think so" she told him using the same cheeky tone that he had used when teasing her

"Father" Chadrac called out when it became clear that Bronwyn had no intention of releasing him. The reaction he got from his father was not the one he was hoping for

Arthur laughed almost raucously "what did you do this time?" he asked having missed what had passed between the siblings at the bottom of the stairs

"Bronwyn" Gwen gasped shocked at her daughter's behaviour "let him go at once" she ordered firmly

Bronwyn heaved a sigh before following her mother's command. Chadrac quickly straightened up and brushed himself off. "You look very nice" he told his sister slightly awkwardly

"That's much better" Bronwyn smiled at him and patted his shoulder before making her way over to the rest of their family. When she reached her father's side he pulled her into a warm hug, Arthur was unable to suppress his smile no matter how much they sometimes displeased Gwen he loved to watch his children's antics

"You look wonderful" he told Bronwyn, truthfully he couldn't remember a time when she had looked as lovely as she did in that moment but after seeing her handle Chadrac he was not brave enough to tell her that

Lord Mark moved forward and offered Bronwyn his arm, she graciously excepted it and the two led the Pendragon family and their friends into the hall

The evening passed in a blur of laughter and enjoyment. The food was some of the nicest that any of them had tasted in a long time and afterward there was music for dancing.

At Lord Mark's insistence it was Arthur and Gwen who opened the dancing, as they twirled around the hall the love that they had for each other was so clear to see that those around them felt like they were intruding on something very privet.

Bronwyn danced with every man that asked her despite claiming that she didn't really know how. Chadrac tried to spend his last night socializing with his fellow guards but in reality he spent most of it glaring at the men that had dared to ask his oldest sister to dance. Isobel danced too but only with her brothers or father, Merlin had offered to dance with her as well but after watching him trample her mother's feet during their one dance Isobel wisely declined. Tobias it turned out was quite the charmer, he didn't dance much but his way with words meant he was never short of female company.

As Sir Leon observed the family's happiness he couldn't help but feel a little guilty. No one that gathered in the hall that night knew they were biding their Sir William, his wife and children goodbye, they all believed the feast was to celebrate seeing off Cenred's men. Arthur and his family had a good and happy life here with these people and he was helping to take it all away from them. The worst thing was that he knew he didn't feel guilty enough about what he was doing because he still could not wait for the sun to rise tomorrow and for the journey back to Camelot to begin.

The next morning Lord Mark and the Knights of the Round Table once again found themselves awaiting the arrival of the Pendragon family but this time the mood was entirely different.

Just like the night before Arthur and the boys where the first down the stairs. All three were dressed in armour with their swords hanging at their sides and all three wore matching masks of determination. Gwen and the girl's soon followed, Gwen and Isobel where both wearing simple but good quality travelling dresses with cloaks, Isobel's were a soft blue colour while Gwen's were –of course- purple. Bronwyn was dressed in her usual hunting clothes, having refused every offer of a dress on the grounds she thought them to be ridiculously impractical for riding in but after much nagging she had agreed she would wear a coat of her mother's choosing over the top of them. Gwen's final choice was actually not as bad as Bronwyn had feared; it was long and made of rich green velvet with billowing sleeves and a large hood. Bronwyn hated the sleeves but the rest she had to admit she liked.

As Merlin sadly watched the six of them bid Lord Mark goodbye he couldn't help but see them for who and what they really were for the first time, they were more that the hidden royal family of Camelot they were also its future and if they treated their people with the half the love and respect they gave each other that future would be a good one.

_Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think_

_Millie_


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